Colorado Will Join Western States Pact To Gradually Reopen The State

DENVER (CBS4) - Gov. Jared Polis announced Monday that Colorado will join four other Western states in a pact to guide decisions in future modifications of state orders to fight coronavirus. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak also announced Monday that his state will join.

Five states -- Colorado, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington -- have now partnered together to share important information in fighting COVID-19.

"Coloradans are working together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have important information to share with and to gain from other states.  I'm thrilled Colorado is joining the Western States Pact," Polis said. "There's no silver bullet that will solve this pandemic until there is a cure so we must have a multifaceted and bold approach in order to slow the spread of the virus, to keep our people safe and help our economy rebound."

All five governors have identified four goals to help reopen their states:

• Protecting vulnerable populations
• Ensuring the ability to care for those who may get sick
• Mitigating the non-direct impacts, especially on disadvantaged communities
• Creating a testing, tracking, and isolation system

The governors participating the Western States Pact have said that science, not politics, will guide their decisions to reopen.